Gasoline engine powered motorcycles have there engines disposed substantially forward on the motorcycle, and then the engine exhaust pipe or pipes, if dual exhaust, extend along a side or sides of the motorcycle to the rear thereof. In that arrangement, the pipe, on either the left or right side of the motorcycle, or, as indicated with the dual exhaust along both sides of the motorcycle, are commonly close to the legs of the riders. The pipe is commonly provided with a cover or a type of heat shield which extends longitudinally along with the pipe, but that type of shield, while useful, becomes extremely hot, even to a point of quickly burning anything that comes into contact with it, such as the rider's clothing, shoes, or even legs.
The aforementioned problem is of particular concern with regard to the passenger riding on the motorcycle in the usual rearwardly located seat which is directly behind the driver. Of course the passenger commonly straddles the motorcycle from the seated position in the rear seat, and the passenger's legs therefore extend to the opposite sides of the motorcycle and immediately adjacent the exhaust pipes which are extending fore-and-aft relative to the forward direction of the motorcycle. As such, the rider's shoe or boot, or the rider's clothing and even the rider's legs are dangerously exposed to the very hot engine exhaust pipe which is extending along a side of the motorcycle in a position inwardly from the location of the rider's legs, in common riding arrangement. Also, there is usually provided a footrest or floorboard for the passenger's feet, and that floorboard is also commonly located immediately adjacent the hot exhaust pipe and thus the passenger is actually invited to place the feet, clothing, shoes, and legs in immediate risk relative to the hot pipe. As such there is the obvious danger.
It is an object of this invention to provide a heat shield mounted on the motorcycle to protect the shoes, boots, clothing, legs, and the like from the heat of the exhaust pipe of the motorcycle. In accomplishing this object, the invention herein provides for an after-market type of shield which can be readily mounted on the motorcycle and which serves the protective function indicated above, and the shield is also compatible in appearance, durability, and airflow function relative to the motorcycle.
Additionally, the objectives of this invention are to provide the heat shield, as mentioned, and to do so without interference with any part of the motorcycle, and to have the shield securely and readily mountable on the motorcycle arm which is supporting the footrest or floorboard. Therefore, the heat shield is readily disposed to be located between the floorboard and the hot exhaust pipe and thereby preclude the rider from encroaching upon the hot pipe, and it thus protects against the burn exposure mentioned above.
Another object is to provide the heat shield on either or both of the left and right hand sides of the motorcycle and to do so in a shield and a method of manufacturing the shield whereby it is readily and easily accomplished for the left hand and the right shields though they are somewhat different from each other. In that accomplishment, the left hand and right hand shields are readily manufactured and are readily and securely attached to the selected left or right sides or both sides of the motorcycle.